


Never Meant So Much To Me

by Spiritses



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: After the Battle at Helm's Deep, Glittering Caves, LOTR, Lord of the Rings, M/M, Tears, distressed legolas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-06-06 00:45:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6730540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spiritses/pseuds/Spiritses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Mellon Nin: my friend<br/>~~~<br/>Hi there! I hope anybody who reads this has as much fun reading it as I had writing it! :3 I might do a sequel to this, but maybe not. ;P We'll see.</p></blockquote>





	Never Meant So Much To Me

_Where could he be?_   Legolas thought frantically as he searched the death stricken battle field at Helm's Deep for his beloved friend. He had searched nearly all the large structure, and went to the healing tents asking anyone who would listen if they had seen the dwarf known as Gimli. Everyone shook their heads no, and with each person Legolas asked, he grew more and more frantic and worried for his friend's well being. After delaying as long as he could, for fear of what he might find, he finally decided to search through the lifeless bodies in and around Helm's Deep. He had been searching for nearly an hour in the battle field alone, and still no sign of the dwarf, alive or dead. He had lost almost all hope, tears now threatening to fall, but he wouldn't give up. Not yet. Not until he saw Gimli one last time, whether it be a life filled embrace, or a cold finding. 

The last he remembered of seeing the dwarf was during the battle, both of them tallying off the amount of kills they made. Then, in the blink of an eye, Gimli had gotten swept away on the tides of war. Legolas hadn't the time to think much of it, fairly certain anyways that the dwarf could take care of himself. 

As Legolas continued to search, he tried to remember the number he was at when the battle ended, if only to keep his mind from the growing worry in his heart, but all the elf could think about was how he should've kept closer to Gimli, and blaming himself for losing his friend. A single tear silently made its way down Legolas's pale cheek. Never had Legolas realized how much Gimli meant to him, or the bonds that had grown between them. 

After searching for quite a while longer, Legolas found something. He caught a gleam of metal out of the corner of his eye, but this particular piece of metal wasn't just a broken sword or piece of armor. No, this was something much more. The elf seemed to realize that before he was even able to see it clearly. Slowly, dreading what he might see, he made his way over to to whatever it might be and halted before it, trying to calm his nerves. He picked it up, his breath catching in his throat as he saw what it was. He turned it around in his hands time and time again, trying to find something that made it not his. But it was, there was no doubt. What Legolas held in his hands was a helmet. _Gimli's_ helmet. 

Then the flood came. The tears and emotions he had fought back for so long now came in choked sobs, waterfalls of grief. Legolas fell to his knees, no longer wanting to search for the body he was certain would be near. And he cried. He wasn't sure how long he sat there, all he knew was Gimli's battered helmet in his hands, a sign of Gimli's near certain defeat. 

After what must've been an eternity, Legolas pulled himself together as best he could, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. He stood up shakily, and slowly turned back the way he came, refusing to look for Gimli any further. He was certain Gimli was gone to him forever, --though his reasoning was probably a little messed up-- and wasn't yet ready to see his sure to be lifeless body. He made his way back, slowly at first, but then he ran. He wanted to get away from that place as fast as possible.

Legolas ran as fast as he could. Tears clouding his eyes, he bumped into people, and stumbled head long into Aragorn. Legolas just wanted to leave, but the strong man gripped the side of Legolas's arms, keeping him in place. Legolas looked up, attempting to wipe his tear stained face while still clutching the helmet he had found. When he could see the face of the person who held him there, new tears formed in his eyes. Emotions flooded him, and he only wanted to get away from this place. "Legolas, what happened?" Aragorn said, worried about his friend. He had been looking for Gimli as well, inquiring people as he passed but got no better replies than the elf had during his search. All Aragorn got for an answer to his question was renewed tears from the elf's bright blue eyes that were now clouded over in grief. 

Aragorn noticed the helmet Legolas was holding now so tightly his knuckles were white. He identified the helmet immediately as Gimli's, needing no further examination of the object other then a brief glance. Aragorn released his grip from Legolas in his sudden shock, and the elf fell to the ground with a light thud. "It's all my fault, it's all my fault," Legolas whimpered quietly as he began rocking back and forth, clutching the helmet to his chest. He felt like a hammer had come down on his heart and crushed it into a million little pieces. He just wanted to melt away, away from the darkness and pain. He felt like all he had ever cared about and loved was gone forever. 

Aragorn knelt down next to Legolas, "Whatever happened wasn't your fault, Legolas." He whispered in a failed attempt to comfort the distressed elf. Having seen the helmet, Aragorn assumed Legolas had found the body it belonged to and didn't dare to ask if his assumptions were correct, for fear of upsetting a new round of tears. He put his hand gently on Legolas's shoulder, but it immediately got shaken off. 

"I should have stayed with him," Legolas muttered between gentle sobs, mostly to himself. He looked up at Aragorn slowly, "I never realized how much he meant to me." Legolas whispered, barely audible, "And now he's gone!" A new rush of tears came from his puffy red eyes. 

"Legolas..." Aragorn trailed off, not knowing what he might say that wouldn't just crush the elf more. 

Legolas just dropped his head, silent tears now falling from his eyes and making a pitter-patter noise on the metal of Gimli's helmet that would have otherwise been a pleasant sound, if it were under different circumstances. After a moment, Aragorn got up to leave, feeling it was a futile attempt to comfort Legolas so soon after his discovery. 

"There are things that need my attention," he said as he started to walk away, "find yourself some food and get some rest, Legolas." To the elf, that sounded more like an order than a suggestion. And one that he didn't intend to follow directly. But he nodded his head, if only to get Aragorn to leave him alone. Aragorn, apparently satisfied with Legolas's brief nod, left without another word. 

The elf sat silently on the ground for a few moments longer before getting up slowly and walking away from there, wanting only to be alone. Legolas found himself wandering aimlessly through the rubble and ruin of Helm's Deep. His tears were spent, and his choked sobs died down. He still blamed himself for everything, thinking it was all his fault Gimli was gone. The elf found a dark, secluded corner and curled himself into a tight ball, hoping maybe he could melt into the shadows, clutching Gimli's helmet tightly to his chest. After some time, Legolas drifted off into a fitful sleep. 

~*~*~

Legolas woke to the sound of Aragorn's familiar voice calling his name nearby. _Not now..._  Legolas thought, curling himself into a tighter ball as the memories of earlier came flooding back in an unstoppable hurricane of emotions. 

"Legolas!" Aragorn's searching calls came closer, and Legolas could hear his footsteps getting louder. 

_Go away..._ The elf just wanted to be alone and undisturbed. He tried to hide deeper in the shadows, hoping Aragorn wouldn't notice him. But he did. A gentle yet firm hand came down on Legolas's shoulder, and this time the elf didn't shake it off. 

"Get up, Legolas." Aragorn said soothingly, a smile in his words. 

Legolas slowly uncurled his head and looked up at the man, who was indeed smiling with a glint in his eye. "How can you be smiling?" Legolas whispered hoarsely after a moment. He found it astonishing that Aragorn could have any sign of happiness knowing how many good men had been killed in the battle. Knowing that Gimli was gone forever. The elf felt hot tears silently roll down his face, wishing he could stop them but didn't have the strength. 

"Get up." He repeated, ignoring Legolas's question. "There's something I think you'll want to see." The glint in his eyes grew brighter as he said that, his smile turning into a grin. Legolas looked at Aragorn, sadness being slowly replaced by mild curiosity, wondering what in the world could be so great it had Aragorn grinning. Aragorn reached out his hand to help the elf up, and Legolas eyed it with suspicion. He took it reluctantly, and slowly got up. 

His legs proved to be very weak and his whole body quite shaky, and Legolas was glad for the support. Aragorn led him through the crowd of people who had survived, the smug grin never leaving his face. Legolas was now very curious as to what Aragorn could be so happy about, and wanted to ask, but he figured he'd find out soon enough. The tall man unknowingly led Legolas passed the spot where he had found the helmet --which he was clutching to his chest with his other hand, having never let go of it-- and the elf diverted his eyes from the area, tears threatening to fall again. 

Aragorn halted Legolas when they had reached the healing tents, and released his hand. "Wait here." Was all Aragorn said before disappearing into the maze of tents. Legolas sat down on the cold ground after a moment of staring in the direction Aragorn had gone. He waited patiently, staring solemnly at the helmet he still clutched tightly in his hand. After not but a moment of waiting Legolas heard Aragorn say something to someone, but couldn't quite make out what he said. 

Legolas didn't lift his head, not caring what the man might be saying or who he might be talking to. He didn't really care about anything anymore. Not about the people who were dead. Not about the rest of the Fellowship. He had no feeling for anything. He wasn't sure he even felt sad that Gimli was gone, he merely felt empty. 

Without really intending to, he heard an all too familiar voice talking with Aragorn. His head shot up and looked around, seeing nothing at first, thinking his broken heart had been playing tricks on him. But then he caught a flash of red hair, too close to the ground to be any of the mens'. Then suddenly, out of the small crowd of people milling around the tents, emerged a stout figure with a long red beard, and much too short to be a man. Legolas wondered if this figure he so dearly loved was really there, or wasn't just an illusion of his mind. "G- Gimli?" Legolas stuttered, barely above a whisper. The dwarf had a bloody bandage around his head, and was looking around for something. 

Legolas ran as fast as he could to Gimli, dropping to his knees and throwing his arms around the dwarf's neck --sending the helmet clattering to the ground as he did so-- and burying his face in the mess of red hair, his breath coming in choked sobs of unconcealed joy. 

"Gimli... Gimli..." Legolas muttered the dwarf's name over and over again, never wanting to let go of him. " _Mellon Nin...._ "

"I'm here, laddie." Gimli whispered soothingly, patting the elf's back. Aragorn watched the two, a smile of satisfaction on his face before leaving them. 

Legolas finally pulled his tear stained face up to look into Gimli's warm amber eyes. "What happened?" He said at last, "I... I thought you were dead!" 

Gimli looked at him quizzically, so Legolas poured out everything that happened during the battle when they got separated, about finding the helmet afterwards and thinking Gimli was gone, all the way until the point where Aragorn had left him to get Gimli. Then Legolas looked at the dwarf smugly, "My final count was 42." 

"Not bad." Gimli noted, then added with a smirk, "Though mine is 4 _3_." 

Legolas looked at him, cocking his head to the side, "We'll see." Then he slowly got up, "You still haven't told me what happened to you." He said, looking at the bandage on Gimli's head. 

"Aye, but let's find some place to sit." Gimli said, walking away with the intention to find somewhere quiet. 

Legolas hurriedly went to walk next to Gimli after he quickly picked up the helmet, not wanting to lose him in the maze of people. They found a small place to sit down that was removed from the general hustle and bustle that was in and around the healing tents. Legolas scooted himself closer to Gimli, feeling that the dwarf might just disappear if he weren't close enough. Gimli didn't mind, and instead launched into an account of what had happened to him, starting from when he realized him and Legolas had been separated. 

He told of hitting his head, the blow knocking off his helmet. He looked for cover, and had found an entrance to a large, dark cave. Seeing this as the best --and most appealing-- opportunity to take shelter, he ran inside. Many orcs followed him, but he had killed them all. Not many more came in after that, and those that did never came back out. So Gimli took refuge inside the caves, showing little to no mercy to the orcs that came in. When it had seemed that the battle had ended, he lit the end of a small stick and used it as a torch to explore the place. He was amazed at what he saw, the glittering walls of the caverns, various crystal growths sprouting everywhere in various bright colors. He explored for a very long time before going to the healing tents, where Aragorn had found him. 

"The Caves were truly amazing, Legolas! You must come and see them with me!" Gimli exclaimed, looking up at the elf with his amber eyes. 

Legolas smiled. "I promise to explore the caves with you when this is all over." He said, and added "As long as you promise to walk with me through Fangorn." 

Gimli grunted, "Alright." Legolas smiled at him, blue eyes twinkling. 

"Well, after beating your score, I'm starved." Gimli said, giving Legolas a look that told the elf he wouldn't let him forget that he had been the victor during the battle anytime in the near future. Gimli got up and started walking away, and Legolas was instantly by his side.

As they walked, Legolas remembered the helmet he was holding. "Oh, here's your helmet back." He said quietly.

Gimli looked up at the elf, smiled, and silently took the helmet. 

~*~*~

That night Gimli lay in his tent, just on the verge of sleep when he heard someone softly enter the tent. He drowsily lifted his head to see who the intruder might be. He immediately recognized the thin elven frame, even in the dim light.

"Legolas?" Gimli said, "What's wrong?" 

"I... Can I come in?" Legolas asked shyly. 

Gimli laid his head back down. "Well you're already here." He said, only slightly annoyed. 

Taking Gimli's remark as approval, Legolas laid down next to the dwarf, snuggling up next to him as close as he dared. 

Gimli made no move to push the elf away or get up. "What's wrong?" Gimli repeated, wondering at the elf's sudden show of affection. 

"I..." Legolas started, unsure how to say what he wanted, "I needed to see you... Make sure you were.. S- still here." He muttered slowly. 

"I'm not going anywhere, Legolas." Gimli whispered, turning his head so he faced the elf. Legolas opened his eyes and looked straight into Gimli's. 

"I thought I had lost you." He said, barely above a whisper. "You mean so much to me, Gimli. I.." He buried his face in the crook of Gimli's neck, "I don't want to lose you again." He said, his voice muffled, feeling like he would never be able to let go. He had Gimli back and was not going to let him leave again. 

Gimli was silent for a moment, then rapped his arms around the elf, pulling him closer and closing his eyes, breathing in Legolas's sweet smell. Then they both drifted off into a peaceful sleep in each other's arms.

~*~*~  


**Author's Note:**

> Mellon Nin: my friend  
> ~~~  
> Hi there! I hope anybody who reads this has as much fun reading it as I had writing it! :3 I might do a sequel to this, but maybe not. ;P We'll see.


End file.
